Knightriders
1981 Directed by George A. Romero
Synopsis
The Games...The Romance...The Spirit...Camelot is a state of mind.
George Romero's unusual story of a modern-day Renaissance troupe whose participants follow a medieval code of honor.
Cast
Studios
Genre
Popular reviews
More-
Gloriously off the wall drama about a medieval re-enactment troupe on motorbikes.
A remnant of the days when film studios used to make films and not financial investments.
Probably get a reboot soon with Tom Cruise of Vin Diesel in the lead. -
An utterly unique and deeply personal adventure/drama from George A. Romero about a modern-day traveling Renaissance fair, in which the knights use motorcycles instead of horses, KNIGHTRIDERS is truly a strange bird of a film, but it's one of my all-time favorites.
In his very first leading film role, Ed Harris is characteristically intense and charismatic as the troupe's "King," whose commitment to living by an ancient code comes into conflict with power struggles among the knights and unwanted attention from media.
The cast is awesome and loaded with Romero alums, past and future. In addition to the biggest and most interesting acting role that Tom Savini has ever had (one that makes excellent usage of the FX genius's natural…
-
The best movie ever about a motorcycle-riding medieval faire and its devoted participants (for whom it is a way of life and a guiding code of honor) that is also a metaphor for independent filmmaking and the struggle to keep one's artistic integrity. It's unlikely that there will ever be a more persuasive case for the virtues of LARPing. Love or hate this movie, one can't deny that it fully commits to its subject. Bonus points for including a gay character, the announcer Pippin (Warner Shook); the movie's over 30 years old, and none of the other characters bat an eye at Pippin's sexuality. George Romero deserves a lot of praise not just for the zombies but for the humanist, progressive streak that runs through all of his films. And for opening this movie with a naked Ed Harris standing in a lake and flagellating himself. There's no movie quite like Knightriders, is what I'm saying.
-
It is easy to see a parallel between George Romero and Judd Apatow. Each talented director delivers great genre movies to the masses, but they also tend to be a bit long winded. “Knightriders” may turn some people off with its lengthy runtime, but it is worth a watch. The film is tucked away between “Dawn of the Dead” and “Creepshow,” but deserves an audience who can appreciate the humor and action Romero provides with his early feature films. Arrow Films has all but eliminated an excuse to continue ignoring “Knightriders.” Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4654
-
Knightriders is without a doubt the most personal movie from the mind of George A. Romero. The new blu-ray from Arrow is stunningly good. Still one of those few dramas, almost 2,5 hours, that keeps me concentrated. It really feels a lot shorter. It's a very tight script, there's nothing unnecessary written - and even the tiniest characters feels like them have personality. Oh, and it have a lot of awesome - dangerously lookning - stunts. A masterpiece.
-
Watching this, I can't help but feel that this is the kind of film that George Romero really wants to make. Knightriders is a real original, a film about a travelling renaissance fair-type group of travelling performers struggling to resist encroaching commercialisation that threatens to split up their merry band. Romero takes his story as seriously as the characters take their work (that is to say, very), and I can't help but be won over be the film's idealism.
There are (many) flaws. At 2 and 1/2 hours it's way, way overlong. There is some great stuntwork, but Romero doesn't have much of a knack for directing the jousting and games sequences, which are often so confusing as to who…
Recent reviews
More-
Gloriously off the wall drama about a medieval re-enactment troupe on motorbikes.
A remnant of the days when film studios used to make films and not financial investments.
Probably get a reboot soon with Tom Cruise of Vin Diesel in the lead. -
A man and a woman lay naked in the forest. They rise, bathe in the stream and don medieval garb. The beautiful lady puts on a crown and her dashing knight straps on armour. They mount the knight's noble steed and ride off into the forest. Only, the steed is a motorbike...
This opening visual pun is the basis for zombie lord George Romero's ego piece Knightriders (1981). The noble knight is Ed Harris, the King Arthur of a travelling Renaissance fair that takes itself far, far too seriously. The fair’s knights take part in a demolition derby-style joust on bikes that regularly puts their lives in danger, along with the safety of their audience.
The fair has its own…
-
Knightriders is without a doubt the most personal movie from the mind of George A. Romero. The new blu-ray from Arrow is stunningly good. Still one of those few dramas, almost 2,5 hours, that keeps me concentrated. It really feels a lot shorter. It's a very tight script, there's nothing unnecessary written - and even the tiniest characters feels like them have personality. Oh, and it have a lot of awesome - dangerously lookning - stunts. A masterpiece.
-
The best movie ever about a motorcycle-riding medieval faire and its devoted participants (for whom it is a way of life and a guiding code of honor) that is also a metaphor for independent filmmaking and the struggle to keep one's artistic integrity. It's unlikely that there will ever be a more persuasive case for the virtues of LARPing. Love or hate this movie, one can't deny that it fully commits to its subject. Bonus points for including a gay character, the announcer Pippin (Warner Shook); the movie's over 30 years old, and none of the other characters bat an eye at Pippin's sexuality. George Romero deserves a lot of praise not just for the zombies but for the humanist, progressive streak that runs through all of his films. And for opening this movie with a naked Ed Harris standing in a lake and flagellating himself. There's no movie quite like Knightriders, is what I'm saying.
-
-
http://www.onemetal.com/2013/04/19/knightriders/
-
What an odd, sincere, overlong, strange and entertaining flick this is.
Strange seeing Ed Harris so young here (but still balding) especially after seeing him in PAIN & GAIN last night, but props to him and every one else for taking this seriously. George Romero directed this one between DAWN OF THE DEAD and CREEPSHOW, and it remains the most eclectic film of his career.
Plus Stephen King's best onscreen performance (as Hoagie Man of course)!
-
www.strangethingsarehappening.com/knightriders.html
-
It is easy to see a parallel between George Romero and Judd Apatow. Each talented director delivers great genre movies to the masses, but they also tend to be a bit long winded. “Knightriders” may turn some people off with its lengthy runtime, but it is worth a watch. The film is tucked away between “Dawn of the Dead” and “Creepshow,” but deserves an audience who can appreciate the humor and action Romero provides with his early feature films. Arrow Films has all but eliminated an excuse to continue ignoring “Knightriders.” Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4654